The most striking feature of China is its immense difference from our Western culture. The greatness of a country with thousands of years of history developed in a completely different way from ours.
And do not forget the natural wonders and culinary delicacies of a super-populated country that is becoming more and more modern and rich.
Some of the activities that I recommend to plan during a trip to China:
- Obviously, a walk along the great wall, observing this endless buildings lost in the infinity … you can’t see the end!
- Visit the villages on the border with Tibet in the Sichuan and Yunnan regions. If you want to go further you will need a special permit and you will have to join an organized tour, for now it is not allowed to explore Tibet autonomously. But in these villages you will already have a good taste of the Tibetan culture!
- The natural and scenic wonders are endless, from the 4 sacred mountains (based on the 4 cardinal points) to the Detian Waterfalls near the border with Vietnam, the terraced rice fields of the South, the limestone formations of the Guilin area, the fairytale landscape of Zhangjiajie…
- Pay a visit to the super modern cities of Shanghai and Hong Kong.
- Immerse yourself in the history of China in the unique attractions of Beijing and Xi An.
- Discover ancient cities like Pingyao or Tongli.
- A bike ride through the Yangshuo countryside or the mountains around Lijiang.
- Visit the Panda Conservation Center in Chengdu.
- Try all the foods you can, a cultural richness! They are a unique delight.
- Buy a ticket and go see the enchanting Beijing opera.
Some info about China:
Capital of China: Beijing
Population: About 1 billion 400 million
Official language: Chinese (Mandarin) + other regional languages.
Currency: Yuan
Calling Code to China: +86
China Visa: You need to obtain a visa from one of the diplomatic missions before get into China. It depends on your nationality, check online about the rules. My advice is to go to Hong Kong to get a Chinese Visa, is the easiest place where to get it.
N.B. Always check before leaving the rules for obtaining a visa according to your passport!
Phone and Internet: It is easy to buy a Chinese phone card, some of the most famous telephone companies are China Mobile and China Unicom, usually you need to present your passport to get one. You can use the wifi service in many hotels and some restaurants.
The main tourist destinations of China:
And once again we can talk just about some of the destinations of the country, China is immense and full of places to visit, here only some of the main ones and those I know best:
Beijing, the capital with its historical, cultural, architectural and scenic wonders.
Shanghai and Hong Kong, super modern megalopolis with many surprises!
Xi ‘An and his unique and incredible army of terracotta warriors.
The countryside in the Guiling and Yangshow area, the Detian Waterfalls, the Zhanhjiajie formations, the rice paddies in Longsheng or one of the four sacred mountains are just some of the breathtaking natural landscapes.
The regions of Yunnan and Sichuan are to be explored thoroughly, especially for the villages bordering Tibet, for the landscapes, for the temples and for the pandas!
The historic cities of Pingyao and Tongli, to visit if you want to feel like you’re living in a China that’s almost gone.
China, when to go?
The South has a warmer humid climate for most of the year, while in the Center and North you will find rather cold winters. In summer the heat is felt almost everywhere, sometimes it becomes really unbearable.
In general the autumn from September to October and spring from April to May are the best seasons to visit China.
N.B. Lately the weather conditions are changing a lot, so sometimes the seasons are not always as expected!
